William III
by Kelly the Vampire Witch
Summary: This is what happens when your teacher makes you read Richard III


Okay, I'm stuck in a Shakespeare class and while we were reading Richard III. I feel in love with this one scene that is really Buffy and Spike. So, the basic set up is that Richard (Spike) has killed Anne's (Buffy's) Husband and Father-in-Law (Angel and Giles) in the War of the Roses (some apocalypse). Shakespeare provided most of the dialogue with a little trimming and embellishing by me. Joss provided Buffy and Spike. Thanks go to both of those great minds, because if I didn't love Shakespeare, I wouldn't take the class and if I didn't love BtVS, I'd be insane.  
  
William III  
  
Act I Scene II  
  
(Enter the body of Giles held up by guards and Buffy mourning.)  
  
Buffy- Set down, set down your honorable load- if honor maybe covered in death. I will stay awhile and cry for my Watcher. Poor key-cold figure of a holy man, Pale ashes of the House of the Watchers Council, Thou bloodless remnant of that blood, I will let your spirit hear the cry of Buffy, wife to Angel, to the slayed souled-vampire, staked by the selfsame hand that made these wounds! Lo, in these windows that let forth thy life I pour the helpless balm of my poor eyes. O, cursed be the hand that made these holes! Cursed be the heart that had the heart to do it! Cursed be the blood that let the blood from you! I hate him more than wolves, spiders, toads, or any venomed thing that lives. If ever he have child, may it be aborted, monstrous, and premature, whose ugly and unnatural aspect may horrify its mother on sight and that be his legacy. If ever he have wife, may he make her miserable than I am now. Come let's bring him to the graveyard, but stop when you are tired so that I may mourn. (The bearers take up Giles. Spike enters.)  
  
Spike- Stay you that bear the body and set it down.  
  
Buffy- What black magician conjures up this fiend to stop the burial?  
  
Spike- Villains set down the body, or by hell, I'll make a body of him that disobeys.  
  
Bearer- My lord, stand back and let the coffin pass.  
  
Spike- Unmannered dog, stop when I command or I will hurt you.  
  
Buffy- What, do you tremble? Are you all afraid? I don't blame you because you are mortal, and mortal eyes cannot endure the devil. Begone you dreadful minister of hell! You had power only over his mortal body, His soul you cannot have therefore begone.  
  
Spike- Sweet saint, for charity, be not so rude.  
  
Buffy- Foul devil, for god's sake leave, and trouble us not, for you have made the happy earth your hell, filled it with cursing cries and deep exclaims. If you like looking at your horrid deeds, behold him as an example. O gentlemen see the wounds on Giles open them and let them bleed again! See there is no blood left, your deed inhuman and unnatural.  
  
Spike- Lady, you know no rules of charity, which renders good for bad, blessing for curse.  
  
Buffy- Villain, you know no law of God or man. No beast so fierce but knows some touch of pity.  
  
Spike- But I know none, and therefore am no beast.  
  
Buffy- Oh wonderful, when devils tell the truth!  
  
Spike- More wonderful, when angels are so angry. Deign, divine perfection of a woman, let me of these deaths to clear myself.  
  
Buffy- Deign, invisible infection of a man, let me of these deaths to blame you.  
  
Spike- Please, let me explain.  
  
Buffy- No, go hang yourself.  
  
Spike- Then I'd be admitting my guilt.  
  
Buffy- You'd be doing to yourself, what you have done to others.  
  
Spike- Say that I slew them not.  
  
Buffy- Then say they were not slain. But dead they are, and devilish slave, by you.  
  
Spike- I didn't kill your husband.  
  
Buffy- Why then he is alive.  
  
Spike- No, he is dead and slain by Giles' hand.  
  
Buffy- Liar, Willow saw your stake by his ashes which you once tried to use on her.  
  
Spike- She provoked me.  
  
Buffy- You were provoked by your bloody mind, that never dreams of anything but butchery. Didn't you kill Giles?  
  
Spike- Yes.  
  
Buffy- You should be damned for such a wicked deed. He was gentle, mild, and virtuous.  
  
Spike- Then he is in a good place.  
  
Buffy- He is in Heaven, where you will never go.  
  
Spike- He is better there then on earth.  
  
Buffy- And you're not fit for any place but hell.  
  
Spike- I can think of another place, if you want to hear it.  
  
Buffy- Some Dungeon.  
  
Spike- Your Bedroom.  
  
Buffy- I'll never sleep with you in my room.  
  
Spike- Well I'll never sleep until I sleep with you.  
  
Buffy- I hope so.  
  
Spike- I know so. But, gentle Buffy, to leave this banter and fall into fighting, should not be caused by Angel and Giles death or murderer.  
  
Buffy- You were the murderer.  
  
Spike- Your beauty was the murderer; Your beauty that did haunt me in my sleep to undertake the death of all the world, so I might live one hour with you.  
  
Buffy- If I thought that, these nails would erase that beauty from my face.  
  
Spike- My eyes could not endure your beauty's destruction and I would stop you.  
  
As the world is cheered by the sun, so I am by your beauty.  
  
Buffy- Black night overcomes the day, and death my beauty.  
  
Spike- Don't kill yourself, fair creature, for you are both.  
  
Buffy- I would to get back at you.  
  
Spike- It is unnatural to want revenge on someone who loves you.  
  
Buffy- It is just and reasonable to want revenge on your husband's murderer.  
  
Spike- He that killed your husband did it to help you to a better husband.  
  
Buffy- His better does not breathe upon this earth.  
  
Spike- He lives that loves thee better than he could.  
  
Buffy- Who?  
  
Spike- A vampire.  
  
Buffy- Another vampire.  
  
Spike- The same species, but one of a better nature.  
  
Buffy- Where is he?  
  
Spike- Here (She spits at him) Why do you spit at me?  
  
Buffy- I wish it was poison.  
  
Spike- Never came poison from so sweet a place.  
  
Buffy- Never hung poison on a fouler toad. Out of my sight! You corrupt my eyes.  
  
Spike- Your eyes, dear lady, have corrupted mine.  
  
Buffy- I wish my eyes could strike you dead.  
  
Spike- I wish they could, so I could die once, for now they kill me with a living death. You have made me cry, these eyes which never shed remorseful tears. Your beauty has made me blind with weeping. My tongue could never learn sweet flattering words, but now your beauty has taught me. (She looks scornfully at him) Teach not your lips such scorn, for it was made for kissing, not for contempt. If your revengeful heart cannot forgive I lend you my stake; which if you please to stick in this true chest and let the soul depart that adores you, I lay defenseless and humble beg death upon my knee. (He lays his chest upon. She lend in with the stake.) No, do not pause for I did kill Giles, but it was your beauty that provoked me. Now dispatch; it was I that killed Angel, but it was your heavenly face that set me on. (She drops the stake) Pick up the stake or pick up me.  
  
Buffy- Get up, though I wish you dead. I will not murder you.  
  
Spike- Then tell me to kill myself  
  
Buffy- I already have.  
  
Spike- That was in your rage. Say it again, and with the word, this hand, which for your love did kill your love, shall for your love kill a far truer love. You shall have the guilt of both.  
  
Buffy- I wish I knew your heart.  
  
Spike- I have been saying it.  
  
Buffy- I fear it is false.  
  
Spike- Then never was man true.  
  
Buffy- Well put away your stake.  
  
Spike- So peace is made?  
  
Buffy- I'll let you know.  
  
Spike- Shall I hope?  
  
Buffy- All men hope.  
  
Spike- Please, wear this ring.  
  
Buffy- It's not going to affect my answer. (Spike puts ring on her finger)  
  
Spike- Look how my ring covers your finger, even so your breast covers my poor heart. Wear both of them, for both of them are yours. And if your poor willing slave may but beg one favor at your gracious hand, you would ensure his happiness forever.  
  
Buffy- What is it?  
  
Spike- Let me take care of Giles' body for you, so that I may pay my respects.  
  
Buffy- I think that shows true remorse.  
  
Spike- Tell me goodbye.  
  
Buffy- You don't deserve it, so imagine I have said it already. (Buffy leaves)  
  
Spike- Was ever a woman in such a mood wooed? Was ever a woman in such a mood won? I will have her, but I will not keep her long. 


End file.
